Automated or automatic transmissions generally comprise a shift mechanism provided with a camshaft having a shift finger. Using a selecting actuator and a shift actuator, the camshaft can be moved such that the shift finger can be displaced along a selective path to different selective positions, out of which the shift finger can be displaced in shift paths, generally aligned perpendicularly to the selective path, with the help of a shift actuator. During the motion along a shifting path the shift finger takes along a shift bar, by which a gear can be engaged. Here, the shift bar can generally be moved from a central position into one direction for shifting one gear and into another direction for shifting another gear.
A problem arising in conventional shifting mechanisms is the fact that only after a gear has been set, for example, by the shifting bar contacting a stop, can it be determined which gear is actually engaged. When an error occurs in the control of the selecting actuator or its connection to the shift finger, it is possible for the shift finger to be in a position not intended, from which it then can be moved into an unintended shift path so that an unintended gear can be engaged. This can result in excessive rotations of the motor during shift-downs, to a stalling of the engine during shift-ups, or when erroneously engaging the reverse gear, even to an unintended change of the driving direction.